Promises You Can't Keep (A Tom Hiddleston/Lee Pace Fan Fic)

Part 1 ~ Chapter 5

Mallory's POV

"So, do you always go about asking pregnant women on dates?" I ask as I sip my chocolate milk, frowning.

I'd decided to dress up for our date - black dress with a flouncy skirt and keyhole cutout back, my long brown hair pulled to the side, Sky-high stilettos. You name it, I'd pulled out all the stops. I talked myself into this by justifying that I wouldn't be able to wear heels for too much longer. Plus, unless it's a business-related event, I really don't have many opportunities to dress like this. I mean, even when Tom and I'd gone out, it was usually to the pub which definitely didn't warrant an outfit like this. I didn't allow myself to fixate for too long about Tom as I prepared for a date with another man.

Lee chuckles at my question before taking a bite of his chocolate-covered doughnut. He's obviously buying time to think of a response, I think as I try to keep a smile from forming on my lips.

Lee had picked me up in his Mercedes, and he was also dressed nicely, having donned a crisp white dress shirt and a grey suit. When we'd pulled up in front of a doughnut shop, I'd been unable keep from laughing at his choice of first date spots.

"To answer your question: no, I don't generally ask pregnant women out on dates," he says as he takes a sip of his coffee.

"So, I'm a charity case," I say, taking a bite from my doughnut. Don't get me wrong, I'm usually pretty confident in myself. I suspect the pregnancy hormones are messing with my self-esteem.

Lee studies me, then he looks at his hands as he speaks.

"Is the father still in the picture?"

I take time to study my own hands, thinking of a response that won't involve me breaking down into a sobbing mess.

"Yes... and no," I say, looking up to meet Lee's gaze.

"You don't have to talk about it if you'd rather not," he says, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand. I smile at him, knowing now is as good a time as any.

"No, I don't mind. It's just... complicated. He's a friend. At least, he was. I haven't heard from him in some time."

I see Lee's stare turn flinty. "So, he wants nothing to do with you now that you're carrying his child?" he growls.

"No! He doesn't even know I'm pregnant. Plus, his work often keeps him quite busy," I hurry to say while thinking there might be something else... someone else... that's keeping him occupied.

Lee raises an eyebrow in question, and I sigh.

"Have you heard of friends with benefits?" I ask, causing Lee's eyebrow to rise even further. "Yeah... that was us. We'd actually been friends for much longer than the kind with benefits. It just turned... complicated, like I said."

"Why don't you tell him, then?" Lee asks, reaching across the table for my hand once again.

"He doesn't want children. He made that quite clear," I say, swirling the chocolate milk around the glass with my free hand.

Lee studies me again before squeezing my hand. "Well, it's his loss then, isn't it?" he says, smiling at me.

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